We started our journey to Kruger with an early morning ride to the airport. Excitement was lingering in the air and the plane ride presented us with a perfect opportunity to reflect on our trip thus far. Driving into Kruger was so beautiful, before disembarking the bus we had already seen elephants. Upon arrival at the National Park we quickly ran to our bungalows to change and prepare for our sunset safari. As I sprayed myself down with bug spray I slowly began to realize what we were truly about to do. For me this probably would be a once in a lifetime experience. The chance to view such gorgeous animals in their natural habitat is unlike any other.
We covered our bodies with clothing along with the bug spray trying to avoid mosquito bites anyway we could. We began our walk from the bungalow to the safari truck. We all boarded the trucks, fighting over who would be lucky enough to get the window seat. Our sunset journey would be three hours long. Any exhaustion from the flight or our previous adventures quickly turned into excited eyes scouring the land in hopes of seeing our main goal, the big five! The drive down the isolated roads was not as I expected. I’m not sure why, but I was thinking it would be more like driving through the African bush, not on man made roads in place of the precious land. However, this journey through the safari was the most peace I had felt in as long as I could remember.
We would drive along, the wind blowing through our hair, focused on nothing but the road which we were driving on and the beautiful land that surrounded us. My mind did not wander from the activity which we were currently doing. I was not stressed about something, contemplating life, worrying about anything at all. It felt almost as though my mind was blank just looking out on and enjoying the African bush. As we continued to drive along I felt a sort of inspiration. Our group project on this trip focused on art therapy and how it could be used as a form of healing. The peacefulness of this safari presented the perfect opportunity for a therapeutic experience. Not only the ride of the safari, but the effects that this safari has on a person after the physical experience.
The photos taken of the animals and the sights during the safari are unlike any other. While a photo never fully captures the true beauty seen by the naked eye, the photos from Kruger are unlike most I’ve ever seen. Not only is photography a good way to portray in a visual sense, but also in a therapeutic manner. Moving along those same lines, the artwork created of these animals using various objects are nothing short of masterpieces.
The animals we had seen on safari in Kruger were formed into stunning pieces of artwork that we had also experienced in Cape Town. While doing research our group learned a lot about forced removal and the effect they had on artwork. People began to use some alternative and unexpected materials to work with. I believe that Kruger could give people a therapeutic experience while on the journey along with the option of artistic therapy after completing their journey.
After my first safari was concluded I began some deeper thought into the park itself. I realize that the animals in Kruger are in their natural habitat, but just how big is the natural habitat provided to them by this park? On the same topic of keeping animals in, I thought about the methods used by the park to keep the poachers out. While on safari our tour guide Israel told us about some of the ways the park protects the animals from the poachers. We learned that there are some 24 hour patrol cars that drive through the bush at all times of night checking for suspicious activity or in extreme and unfortunate situations, dead animals. For me this beg the question, how do they get in? We entered and exited through the same fence each way, minimalizing point of entry into the camp. However, the amount of land the animals have to freely roam is unknown to me. It would be devastating for the natural beauty and impact that the land and animals provide to so many humans and nature itself, to be destroyed.